After the giddy and hectic first morning at school where you do the self-introductions to the three classes before lunch, you will feel excitement... The thrill of success... The rumble of hunger. But... despite Part 1 where I walked you through a typical Self-Introduction on your first day of teaching, I skipped a part.
Something that will happen before you stand up in front of the students to tell them all about yourself.
But first, let's look at a Japanese custom - bowing.
When you arrived at your school this morning - either walking or riding a bicycle built for someone much smaller than you, or having to take a train, or a taxi because you missed the train, or you got a ride from a teacher (wasn't that an experience?!) - it was scary and frightening, but it really wasn't that bad.
As you locked up your bicycle or stolen taxi, students whom have never seen before are bowing while looking at you, and you either smile, wave or bow back.
Look... That was cool. They may even have said a few Japanese words to you - they might want to speak English, but are afraid they will look silly.
While you as an adult, a teacher and a gaijin (foreigner) are NOT required to respond back vocally, you should bow.
Bowing etiquette - casual
If these are kids bowing to you, a simple nod of the head will suffice. You have acknowledged their existence, and that is enough. It sounds funny, but trust me, this is proper behavior for you.
Bowing etiquette - formal
If these are teachers - your equals - a good bow with your hands straight to the side, and your torso in a forward and downward position is perfect - held for no more than two seconds, though depending on their level of excitement (talking while bowing), you may bow up and down rapidly after that initial deep bow.
Bowing etiquette - very formal
If you are introduced to the vice-principal or principal - your superiors - you need a better bow than what you gave the teachers (your equals). Hands to the side, stand up straight. Look them in the eyes, bow at the waist. Bow low enough to see their shoes. Bow for three seconds. Come straight up.
Bowing has its pecking order, as you can see. I treated men and women equally, however, and only judged them on occupation or age.
Yes, age. The first time I met the convenience/sake store owner, I gave him a long, deep bow. This was because he was obviously an older gentleman, and because I wanted to do business with him often - so I gave him respect.
Being a shop-keeper, he wasn't used to having people show him too much respect, and because of it, he and I became friends immediately.
So... The bow is important.
A word of advice... If you aren't sure who is your superior, when you bow, check out their shoes. If the shoes are a better quality than your own, they are your superior.
All bets are off if everyone is wearing slippers. Perhaps note if they are wearing a jacket and tie. A tie or a dress shirt could mean they are your equals, but note that often teachers come dressed up in their track suits
because they've just spent 90 minutes performing club activities with students from 6:30AM on. So... Adult in school is a teacher. The principal and vice-principal don't seem to leave their office too much.
Help Is On The Way
Dozu yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
While it is a formal way of saying "Pleased to meet you", it also conveys the feeling of "Please look after me."
You can say this to any of the adults at your school. They know you have been forced to say it, but they also are smart enough to know you are a stranger in their land and will do everything they can do to help you out.
Usually.
That phrase should be said while bowing down (torso bent forward) to your equals and your superiors. Do NOT say this to your students.
Now... Because it is you first day at your school, it's not a typical day.
After being served a piping hot cup of o-cha (Japanese green tea) - drink it. The women servers will ask you if it I 'oishi' (delicious?), you bow slightly and say 'hai' (it means 'yes' and is pronounced 'hi').
Before the o-cha cools down to a level where you can actually sip it, it's time to go. (By the way, experience will soon teach you how to gulp down scalding hot o-cha immediately after it is placed in front of you.)
You will, more than likely be asked to accompany all of the teachers somewhere. Seven schools and for four years (September when I first arrived, and April when Japanese school years actually begin and a new crop of kids come aboard), I was paraded to the school gymnasium and formally welcomed and introduced to the school's students and teachers.
This is cool and frightening. I had no idea this was going to happen. I looked up to the front of the gym and saw a huge Canadian flag beside the Japanese flag, with a city flag beside it. Or variations there of.
I would be maneuvered to the stage of the gym, and be shown that I had to slip off my dress shoes for a pair of uncomfortable, green or pink plastic slippers that were far too small. I have size 10-1/2 US shoes, which equals 30 centimeters in length, which is how Japanese shoe sizes are measured. Beware... Make sure you have socks or hose that is darn well perfect. No holes. By the way, in Japan, I believe that a size 27 is the largest common shoe available. If you are bigger than that, don't expect to find new shoes in you size readily available.
Up on stage, you might be sitting to the side of a podium filled with hundreds of students in full school dress, quietly sitting there. Because no one told me what was going on (unlike me right now for you), I was nervous
as all get out.
The principal would get up and stand beside the podium. Everyone had to stand up. Everyone. The principal turned and faced the Japanese flag. Someone yells telling you to bow, and everyone bows to the flag. You should bow to the Japanese flag, too. That shows respect to the Japanese.
The National anthem may then play. Perhaps yours, but definitely the Japanese one. It sounds like a funeral dirge, but it is elegant and powerful (still not as cool as the old USSR one, in my opinion).
The principal will shuffle to a place behind the podium (those slippers!), and then, before he speaks, someone yells for everyone to bow, they do (you included), then everyone sits (you sit, too. Good dog.)
The principal may give an important school announcement, but really, this is YOUR day. He will tell the students your name, where you are from, to behave, treat you with respect, blah-blah-blah.
He will then introduce you.
I had no idea what he was saying, and had a had a blank look on my face because no one was telling me squat in English.
The principal motioned for me to come to the podium... I did, he backed away... And while I wanted to also back away, I did not.
I looked at the head English teacher with eyebrows raised - and he came racing over... he said - "Please give a short speech".
Fug!
So I did.
I bowed to my audience. I pulled out a blank piece of paper and spoke in English. I told them how happy I was to be in Japan and that I looked forward to meeting each and every one of them.
God knows what else I said, because I didn't have anything written down, and it was a lot of years ago.
Now... this is the important thing.
When I finished, I moved to the side of the podium and bowed - and I gave them all the "you are my equal" bow, and as I moved back towards my chair, I stopped and faced the Japanese flag and gave it the "you are my superior" bow.
I showed respect to the flag. And yes, the Canadian flag was up there to, but I bowed to the Japanese flag. I bowed.
Total kiss-up, I can hear some of you saying - but if you aren't kissing up in Japan, it's going to be a very lonely and difficult time for you.
And besides, it wasn't kissing up. I genuinely wanted to be respectful of Japan and its customs.
Later that day, the head English teacher said the principal told him how impressed he was by my show of respect - that bowing to the Japanese flag was most impressive. But I wasn't Japanese yet. (To paraphrase Darth Vader.)
So... how do you earn respect in Japan? You earn it by offering respect when given the chance.
Yes, you are a foreigner in a foreign land, so mistakes will be made. But first impressions are very important. You know... you make them yourself. We all do.
But, in Japan... you are a G.O.D. That stands for 'Gaijin on display'. Everyone is watching you. Be respectful of that.
Okay... that's all for now...
Next, we'll look at you getting undressed for lunch - IE, you exposed with 60 eyes watching to see if you can use chopsticks, and if you can even stomach Japanese food. And, if I remember, in another blog I'll tell you about a funny story of mine (and others) involving bowing.
And... we're still ONLY in the first half of the first day of you teaching at a school.
Hey... at least you have someone who's been there giving you solid advice.
It must have been an important day, because aIA'm recalling all of this from something that first happened 23 years ago.
Respect the respect.
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
The photo above - Since I don't have any photos of that first day, here's a photo of me at my last school day in Japan before leaving for good (or worse). Aside from the beard and silk shirt and manicured pony-tail, myself and the stage set up is how it was that first day.
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